Strauss: Time wrong for ECB role

Andrew Strauss feels it is the wrong time for him to become the England and Wales Cricket Board's managing director.

The former England captain, widely thought to have been the favourite for the role, has reportedly withdrawn his name from the list of possible successors to Hugh Morris, who is leaving to take up a job with Glamorgan.

"I think it is a great job, an important job, one that needs to be done properly," Strauss told the Daily Telegraph. "But is it the right time for me? I'm still close to the players. And there are a lot of other things I would like to pursue."

Strauss has joined the slew of former England captains - including Michael Vaughan, Nasser Hussain and Mike Atherton - who have moved into the commentary box rather than take up a role within the game, either as a coach or an administrator.

He does not believe that is necessarily to the detriment of the game, however.

"Having spent the summer in the commentary box it became clear how passionate those guys are about the game of cricket," Strauss said. "They want it to grow, reach new audiences.

"And they've chosen that medium as a way of helping it do just that. I definitely feel I want to make a difference to the game. That probably means I don't just want to be an observer forever. But I enjoy the balance I have at the moment."